Kazakhstan's Digital Tenge, the nation's central bank digital currency, secures a prestigious award at the international CBDC conference.
The National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK) has been awarded the Pioneering CBDC Initiative Award at the CB+DC Conference, held in Nassau, Bahamas from September 9-11. The recognition was given for the advancement of the Digital Tenge, a project led by the NBK since 2021.
Binur Zhalenov, Chief Digital Officer and Advisor to the Governor of the NBK, stated that over 100 major public projects will be launched using Digital Tenge, covering various sectors such as construction, social benefits, healthcare, utilities, and infrastructure. The project is designed with a focus on financial inclusion, sophisticated technical design, and a strategic vision for the future of money.
The Digital Tenge project was a finalist alongside central banks from Switzerland, the UAE, Hong Kong, and Ghana. It was praised for its technological sophistication, reliability, and potential to unlock new opportunities such as fast and convenient payments, innovative financial services, and secure storage of funds.
According to Zhalenov, Digital Tenge will gradually expand to cover all public and quasi-public expenditures over time. This implementation is expected to significantly enhance spending transparency and minimize misuse risks.
The award comes as no surprise, given that 72 countries are in the advanced phase of exploration, either development, pilot, or launch of a central bank digital currency (CBDC). As per data from the Atlantic Council, as of July 2025, 137 countries and currency unions, accounting for 98% of global GDP, are exploring a digital currency, up from just 35 in May 2020.
In an April interview with The Astana Times, Zhalenov explained in detail how the Kazakh central bank is approaching digital currency implementation. He views Digital Tenge as a step towards modern, transparent, and user-friendly financial services for every citizen of Kazakhstan.
Zhalenov considers the award received by NBK as a powerful motivation to move forward with the Digital Tenge project. He commented that the recognition underscores Kazakhstan is on the right path in its digital currency journey. The Digital Tenge is set to officially receive the status of a national currency in Kazakhstan under the new banking law currently in development.
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